An important component of GT4K is the family outreach program. The focus of the events are to provide parents/guardians and children opportunities to grow as a family. Throughout the year, activities and presentations will be open to all families. Examples include, but are not limited to, family fun nights, potluck dinners, training workshops, family-teacher conferences, open houses, and family newsletters. Each family is encouraged to participate in the activities and trainings.
Curriculum
All sites offer the same curriculum, provided by the DeForest Area School District. The Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards is used as a guide for all curricula. A strong emphasis on social and emotional development and independence will be a focus of the 4K programming. Visit the GT4K website to learn more about the GT4K program at DASD.
Assessment & Family-Teacher Conferences
All families who have a child age eligible for 4K may be asked to complete a parent/guardian questionnaire called (ASQ-3) Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3. This screening tool is used to identify potential areas of developmental concerns. Families may be asked to complete this form before or during the school year.
Children enrolled in GT4K will receive a progress report on a semester period. Families can review progress via Infinite Campus. This assessment (progress report) was developed from Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards and the DeForest Area School District Learning Targets aligning with Kindergarten goals. Family/teacher conferences will be held in the fall and winter. The purpose of the conference is to provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and special needs with his/her teacher. These conferences are a very important part of the school year and an effort should be made to attend. Teachers are available during a block of time and families are assigned a specific conference time.
It will help you and the teacher if you come to the conference prepared with a list of specific questions that you would like addressed. The short time that you spend in a conference may prove to be the most valuable time you spend at school. By attending a family-teacher conference, your child will see the importance you have placed on education and how valuable it is to obtain a good education. End-of-the-year Progress Reports for the students will be shared with the respective 5-year-old kindergarten home schools.
Reporting an Absence
It is an expectation that children enrolled in the GT4K program will attend school every day school is in session. Prompt notification of absences helps keep the record keeping accurate. Please call your child’s GT4K school site by 6:30 am each day if your child will not be able to attend school or will be late. Please inform the person answering the phone of your child’s name, the length of and reason for the absence, and that the child is attending the GT4K program. Your call is important to help us protect the safety of your child and to ensure accurate attendance records. If a student is absent and we do not receive a call from home, we will call your home/work or emergency contact numbers to verify the absence as part of our safe arrival policy. Attendance is taken at the host site and sent to the school district every day.
Excusing Children Early
If it is necessary for a child to leave school early, parents or guardians need to make arrangements with the site office for the child’s release. Students will only be released from the office to a parent/guardian or a person designated (in writing) by the parent/guardian. If the adult is unknown to office staff, identification must be presented. Children will never be released directly from the classroom or allowed to wait in front of the school for pick up. If your child returns from an appointment before the end of the school day, please sign the child in at the school site office.
Changes in Dismissal Arrangements
To ensure student safety and clear communication, please call the office before dismissal time or send a note with your child if there is a change in transportation on a given day. Students will follow their normal dismissal procedure unless a call or note is received.
Snow Days/Emergency Closings
The decision to close school will be made by the Superintendent of the DeForest Area School District. In the event that school would be canceled, delayed, or dismissed early due to inclement weather, please listen for announcements on local television stations, visit the district’s website of www.deforestschools.org or call the district’s hotline at 608-842-6668. Canceled or delayed school information will be available beginning at 6:00 am.
In case of early dismissals, parents/guardians are asked to have arrangements in place, in advance, for the care of their children if school should be dismissed before the end of the day. The plan should be discussed with your child so that they are prepared. Be sure to remind your child of this plan on days when ice or heavy snow are predicted. The school must always have a current emergency phone number for your child.
Snacks at School
Each site will vary how snack breaks are handled during the GT4K program. GT4K sites will follow child care licensing regulations or established guidelines for snacks. The DeForest Area School District recognizes that good health is related to student performance, growth, development, readiness to learn and overall physical well-being. Healthy eating patterns and regular physical activity are essential for students to achieve their full academic and life potential. If parents/guardians send food to school, the food items should be nutritious in value and respectful of allergies within the classroom. Allergy alerts will be shared with all families at the start of school.
Volunteers
Volunteers share their time, skills, and interests with the students and teachers at school. These partnerships become a continuing exchange of information and are activities that benefit all children.
The safety and well-being of the students, staff, and volunteers of the district are important. Therefore, the district shall conduct criminal background checks on all volunteers who will be working with and/or have access to students. Learn more about guidelines and requirements for all volunteers HERE. Each approved application will be valid for a period of three years through your child’s education in the DeForest Area School District.
Custodial/Non-Custodial Parents
In most cases, when parents/guardians are divorced, both mother and father continue to have equal rights where their children are concerned. If you have a court order limiting the custody, communication or visitation rights of one parent/guardian, please bring a copy to the GT4K site director. The order will also be shared with the school district. Unless the court order is on file, we must provide equal rights to both parents/guardians.
Change of Information
Please let your child’s GT4K site know as soon as possible if at any time during the school year your family has a change of:
- Address
- Telephone numbers
- Email address
- Emergency contact (change of person or telephone numbers). Please let the people you choose as emergency contacts know that you are listing them as emergency contacts.
- Health needs
- Child care arrangements
- Guardianship
- Transportation needs
Student Records
The cumulative record is an individual report on each student, required by law. The records may be viewed by the school staff and parents or guardians, in the presence of the designee. Only appropriate GT4K staff, the child’s parents/guardians, and law enforcement officers on certain occasions may see the record unless the court subpoenas it. Every family has the right to their privacy being respected and enforced. Each agency will help maintain privacy in the following manner:
- Student records will not be left out for others to view.
- Parents/guardians and staff are not allowed to discuss children and families with other parents/guardians.
- Staff will not discuss children and families with other staff unless there is a direct benefit to the family or child involved.
- Parents/guardians are asked not to talk about incidents observed in the classroom or at any other activities that involve children other than their own.
Student Nondiscrimination
It is the policy of the DeForest Area School District that no person be denied admission to any public school in this district or be denied participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any curricular, extracurricular, pupil services, recreational or other program or activity because of the person’s sex, race, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability as required by section 118.13 of the state statutes.
This policy also prohibits discrimination under related federal law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race, color, national origin), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (sex), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (handicap) and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (disability). Children of homeless individuals and unaccompanied homeless youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent/guardian) residing in the district shall have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including comparable services, as provided to other children and youth who reside in the district. Homeless children and youth shall not be required to attend a separate school or program for homeless children and shall not be stigmatized by school personnel.
Students who have been identified as having a disability, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act, shall be provided with reasonable accommodations in educational services or programs. Students may be considered disabled under this policy even if they are not covered under the district’s special education policies and procedures. The district shall also provide for the reasonable accommodation of a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs with regard to examinations and other academic requirements, in accordance with Board policy. The district encourages informal resolution of complaints under this policy. If any person believes that the district or any part of the school organization has failed to follow state or federal law or in some way discriminates on the basis listed above, he/she is directed to follow the district’s complaint procedures. Please contact the Student Services Director for DASD, (608) 842-6526 for further questions.
